Provo City Council passes resolution to raise smoking age

FILE – In this Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002 file photo, a high school junior holds a cigarette as another high school student takes a drag in Lawrence, Kan. The smoking rate among U.S. high school and middle school students has been flat for three years now, after a fairly steady decline for nearly two decades, […]

Posted: Mar 6, 2019 / 04:18 PM MST

Updated: Mar 6, 2019 / 04:18 PM MST

The Provo City Council has approved a resolution in support of House Bill 324, the bill that would increase the minimum age for tobacco purchases.

In a statement released Wednesday, the council stated that they, “believe strongly that this proposal will be a benefit to our state and to our youth and will be a proposal that may have a beneficial ripple effect for future generations.”

The specific language of the resolution states:

“We, the members of the Provo City Municipal Council, are in support of the measure to increase the minimum age for tobacco purchase proposed in House Bill 324 Second Substitute, and if the Utah State Legislature does not pass this measure, Provo City will consider following Lehi City and Cedar Hills by adopting a city ordinance to that effect. The Provo City Municipal Council supports the Second Substitute because it removes the language preempting relevant local ordinances that was introduced in the First Substitute and urges the Utah State Legislature not to include any such language in the final measure.”

The bill is still being considered by the Senate Business and Labor Committee before being presented for a vote. The bill passed in the House March 1st after a 47 to 19 vote.